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World Series: San Francisco Giants star Pablo Sandoval named Series MVP

By Carl Steward and Daniel BrownStaff writers

Posted:
10/28/2012 11:51:01 PM PDT

Updated:
10/28/2012 11:51:15 PM PDT

DETROIT -- The Kung Fu Panda stole the show.

Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval was named World Series MVP after the team's sweep. The rotund switch hitter gobbled up Detroit Tigers pitching with a .500 batting average, three homers in Game 1 and four RBIs.

Quite a turnaround for a man who played in only one game two years ago, when the Giants won their first World Series in San Francisco by taking four of five games from the Texas Rangers.

"You learn," Sandoval told The Associated Press. "You learn from everything that happened in your career. ... We're working hard to enjoy this moment right now."

Sandoval had his ups and downs this year as well, including two stints on the disabled list, one with a broken hamate bone, the other an injured hamstring.

But he turned it on throughout the postseason, hitting .364 with six homers and 13 RBIs in 16 games. He also played strong defense at third.

Sandoval gives much of the credit for his development to manager Bruce Bochy and general manager Brian Sabean.

"When you have a good manager, good G.M., throwing all the things in your face, you have to keep focused and keep playing and keep working hard," Sandoval told AP.

His best moment in the postseason came in Game 1 of the World Series, when he belted homers in his first three at-bats to lead an 8-3 Giants victory.

Only three other players have hit three homers in a World Series game. Hall of Famer Babe Ruth did it twice. Reggie Jackson, who's also in the Hall of Fame, and Albert Pujols each did it once.

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San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee has announced there will be a ticker-tape parade for the Giants on Wednesday at 11 a.m. The parade will go from the foot of Market Street to the Civic Center, according to a tweet sent out by @SFGiants.

One of the notable Giants fans in Detroit was 25-year-old Hayward native Ashley Chavez, who has spent the past six months living expense-free in Manhattan as the team's fan representative at Major League Baseball's Fan Cave in New York City.

Chavez was one of nine fans selected from more than 22,000 applicants who crafted essays about their devotion to their favorite team.

Chavez watched all 162 games of the Giants' regular season at the Fan Cave, an interactive experience and social media center at Fourth and Broadway in Manhattan. One of three remaining "survivors" of the Fan Cave competition, she was present at all four World Series games.

According to ESPN, Giants reliever Santiago Casilla is the second pitcher in World Series history to get a win in a clinching game by pitching one-third of an inning. The other was John "Blue Moon" Odom for the 1974 A's.

There were lots of Twitter comments from players on other teams congratulating the Giants. Among those tweeting congratulatory messages were outfielders Coco Crisp and Josh Reddick of the A's, and Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips.

Former Giants A.J. Pierzynski and Kevin Frandsen also joined the Twitter parade of well-wishers.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw was named the winner of the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award before Sunday's Game 4. After receiving the honor, he had to take some tough questions about the Giants' postseason successes.

"If you told me they were on the verge of a sweep, I probably wouldn't have believed you," Kershaw said. "But they're such a great team and they've got so many good players. I'm not surprised that they're here, by any means."

Kershaw was asked if the Giants' successes serve to intensify the Giants-Dodgers rivalry.

"I don't know if the rivalry's back yet," he said. "They're winning World Series and we're not even in the playoffs yet, so we have to focus on just getting into the playoffs."

Actor Matthew Perry was on the field during batting practice. Alas, the Tigers had already wiped out his rooting interest. "Moneyball" got Perry invested in the green and gold.

"I really liked the movie, I liked the book, and as a result I sort of became an A's fan,'' Perry, 43, said. "I was following them this year, and it was exciting to watch them be arguably the biggest and best, most fun story in baseball."

Best known as Chandler from "Friends,'' Perry now plays a sportscaster on the NBC show "Go On." He said he prepared for the role by chatting with real media types such as Rich Eisen, Jim Rome and Colin Cowherd.

"The bad news is that all the athletes who have come on have been really good, and funny,'' Perry said, "Which makes it seem like what I do for a living is a joke."